Horn Lane and Poet’s Corner flood victims met with representatives from Thames Water and Ealing Council last Thursday night to find out what will be done to prevent the area from flooding again in the future.
It’s just five years since the last time the area flooded and preventative measures, such as the flood valves put in place by Thames Water at the time, proved woefully inadequate under the force of this August’s torrential rainfall.
Thames Water representative, Louis Quartly, told residents that to receive the £3m necessary to upsize 3km of sewers, 30 households must register as flood damaged by October. This is because Ofwat, Thames Water’s regulator, limit the spend on repair works to £100,000 per affected property.
But the last time the area flooded, too few residents came forward, meaning that Thames Water were unable to fund the vital upgrading work. Residents fear that their neighbours think that registering their home as flood damaged will affect its value or saleability and are therefore keeping quiet.
In fact, according to the flood maps recently published by insurers More Th>n (part of Royal Sun Alliance), Horn Lane is considered by insurers as a negligible flood risk and sewer replacement works are bound to reassure potential purchasers aware of the area’s watery past.
Residents who attended the meeting urged their more reluctant neighbours to put their fears aside, complete the soon to be distributed flood damage leaflet and return it promptly. Horn Lane home-owner Nathalie Websdale asked others to think of the future generations who will be living in their homes, “Don’t be put off by the forms, the priority is to ensure that the upgrading work is done. I wouldn’t want anyone else to go through what we’ve been through over the last four weeks”.
Time is of the essence, as Thames Water will be planning their spend for the next five years this December, leaving only one month for the leaflet to be circulated, completed and returned.
The next meeting between residents, Thames Water and Acton Councillors will be held on November 3rd, details to follow.
August 29th, 2004
| How do I register flood damage? | |
Ealing Council and Thames Water are planning to distribute leaflets to every home in the affected area. The forms must be completed and returned by the beginning of October, so that the works can be considered and prioritised by Thames Water this December. If 30 or more households register damage, the upgrading work should be given priority in the 5 years between April 2005 and April 2010.
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